Identification of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum in Lesion Tissue By Immunofluorescence

THE etiological agent of chronic respiratory disease in poultry has been shown by Markham and Wong (1952) to be a pleuropneumonia-like organism (PPLO). Since previously employed methods of diagnosis are time consuming, a rapid and specific diagnostic test was desired. Since Coons et al. (1942) first introduced the fluorescent antibody (FA) technique, numerous reports of its application for identification of microorganisms have appeared in scientific literature. Coons and Kaplan (1950) published a revised and improved procedure for the preparation of the FA. The immunochemical stain was used for the detection of bacterial antigens in histological preparations. Only a few articles (Malizia et al., 1961; and Barile et al., 1961, 1962) have appeared with reference to the FA technique for identification of PPLO. Air sac lesion tissue or sinal exudate from naturally or artificially infected chickens and turkeys was employed in studies with the FA technique. Naturally infected…